1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to exercising machines. More particularly, the present invention is directed to an abdominal exercise apparatus that utilizes an adjustable resistance element and that is adapted to accommodate one or two users in a tandem arrangement.
2. Description of the Background Art
The past two decades have seen a renewed interest in physical fitness, body-building, and other strength and endurance enhancing activities. Despite the health benefits of such activities, a number of disadvantages exist that prevent their uniform acceptance and application by the general public.
Individuals traditionally sought physical fitness and muscle enhancing exercise through the use of freeweights. Unfortunately, freeweights are generally considered to be bulky, cumbersome, and old-fashioned by the typical exercise enthusiast.
Exercise machines incorporating mechanical, pneumatic, and hydraulic resistance elements attempt to address the disadvantages associated with the use of freeweights. Some of the machines include the ability to isolate the development of the abdominal muscle groups. Such devices have included the use of weights incorporated in a variety of hinge and pulley systems, as well as the use of pneumatic or hydraulic resistance elements.
Both freeweight and conventional machine methods of weight training are solitary, self-paced activities, and demand a large degree of self discipline and persistence to maintain an aggressive physical fitness program. Individuals not possessed of such self discipline often fail to reach their goals in their program's initial stages and often abandon the program altogether.
Traditional mechanical abdominal exercise apparatus are also limited in that they provide resistance to the abdominal muscles only in a single forward direction. Thus, the abdominal muscles are not completely developed via conventional abdominal exercise apparatus.
Yet other disadvantages associated with weight and fitness training include muscle strain related injuries occasioned during an aggressive developmental program. Many exercise apparatus, and traditional abdominal exercise machines in particular, have often been faulted for placing an undue amount of stress on the lower back, thereby giving rise to discomfort and lower back pain. As might be expected, such discomfort and pain also serves as a disincentive to continued training.
A need remained for a device that promotes sustained use of the device by allowing operation by two users in a partnership. A structure that exercises abdominal muscles without creating lower back strain and fatigue was also desired. As always, a less expensive structure that is simple to make and use was also desired.